The future is here and it’s not scary – Nick Bilton puts technology in perspective

Does Facebook make you sweat? Afraid Google is making you stupid? Do tweets and texts tweak you? Worry not. Yes, these technologies are here to stay. But their impact isn’t as dystopian as some predict, according to Nick Bilton anyway. In his new book, <i>The Future is Here & Here’s How it Works,</i> Bilton asserts that such fears about technological advances have accompanied almost every advance through history. And just as the advent of the phonograph didn’t eliminate the need to read, the internet isn’t dumbing us down. Bilton’s book takes us on a journey ranging from the California porn industry, into the future of technology, business and society. Might computers have positive effects on our brains? Could surgeons hone their skills by playing video games? How will the next generation consume, share and pay for information?